Integrated operations technology aims to optimize all mining activities

Having integrated operations is a pathway to efficiency, and many mining companies want to move toward this goal of harmonizing all aspects of their businesses. Responding to this trend, Liebherr has introduced IoMine, its updated and expanded technology portfolio, featuring new technology designed to optimize all aspects of day-to-day mining operations.

"An integrated operations approach uses a connected ecosystem of technologies to optimize the load and haul cycle," says Tristan Malec, general manager of digital technology products for Liebherr-Mining Equipment SAS. "Enhancing these processes improves both productivity and safety — two vital criteria for our customers. Our products will support them in these endeavours."

The expanded IoMine portfolio offers new command and control capabilities, data integration, and remote support services, under three product families: Operate, Automate, and Maintain. Each product within the three distinct families is designed to improve the safety, efficiency, and profitability of mining operations.

Operate

The IoMine Operate product family is designed to optimize and streamline daily mining operations by collecting, analyzing, and leveraging data from connected machines to efficiently manage fleet activities, monitor performance, and improve decision-making in real time. Key products within the Operate family are the fleet management and machine guidance systems, the data services range, and assistance systems for Liebherr's excavator fleet that provide operators with additional operational information.  

• The Fleet Management System (FMS) integrates mining operations to boost productivity, optimize haulage assignments, and maximize fleet utilization — all of which help to reduce non-productive time across the entire load-haul-dump value chain. The FMS is also OEM-agnostic and delivers real-time, end-to-end monitoring for all connected assets to offer a strategic overview of onsite activities. Its integrated optimization engine eliminates uncertainty and variations, enabling automated reassignment and communication that keep mining operations running smoothly and onsite personnel informed.
• The Machine Guidance System (MGS) can be integrated with the FMS or Autonomous Haulage Solution (AHS) and will be offered as a standalone product. It delivers critical material information to minimize ore variability and dilution, improving overall performance. Designed for flexibility, the MGS can be installed on multiple brands of loading and pushing machines and offers high-precision accuracy as well as real-time material tracking.
• Liebherr Data Services, another feature of the Operate product family, provide adaptable solutions that enable data integration in customers' onsite ecosystems to improve operations and processes.

"Our Machine Guidance System offers position control with a high level of accuracy," says Malec. ‘This means that operators can distinguish between different grades and types of material with pinpoint precision."

Automate

IoMine's Automate product family offers customers both fully and semi-autonomous solutions for their fleets, addressing the growing demand for automation in the mining industry. The AHS falls within this product family, alongside Liebherr's teleoperation system for its range of Generation 8 mining dozers, LiReCon. Liebherr has also expanded its comprehensive range of semi-autonomous assistance systems for its excavators and dozers.

• Autonomous Haulage Solution (AHS) is transforming mining operations by combining advanced automation with real-time data insights to enhance productivity, safety, and efficiency. The system enables fully autonomous operation of Liebherr's haul trucks, allowing for intelligent route optimisation and seamless, reliable performance, without manual intervention. Designed for future sustainability, the AHS is compatible with both diesel-electric and zero-emission energy systems, integrating with the FMS to manage energy replenishment for zero-emission trucks. 
• Liebherr Remote Control, more commonly known as LiReCon, is also a feature within the Automate product family. This teleoperations system allows operators to control Liebherr's Generation 8 dozers from a safe distance outside of the pit, reducing their exposure to potential hazards on site, particularly when a dozer is working in challenging conditions. The latest update to LiReCon, which was released for this year's MINExpo, makes the teleoperation stand more compact and easier to transport. This means LiReCon can now be more easily integrated into a range of site infrastructure, including construction containers, mobile deployment vehicles, and office applications. 

Maintain

Alongside the launch of IoMine, Liebherr has also introduced Remote Service — a suite of digital tools within IoMine's Maintain product family designed to streamline maintenance issues for on-site personnel. Remote Service consists of three different tools; Troubleshoot Advisor, Content Delivery Portal, and XpertAssist; each of which addresses different stages of issue resolution. 

• Troubleshoot Advisor is a powerful diagnostic tool that guides technicians through a detailed, step-by-step problem identification process that can help speed up problem resolution. 
• Content Delivery Portal houses all of Liebherr's technical documentation for its machines, which operators can navigate with the user-friendly search functionality of the application, allowing them to easily find the information relevant to their situation. 
• XpertAssist connects technicians to Liebherr experts for real-time assistance via live video support and other dynamic features available within the app for seamless conversations.

"We developed Remote Service after observing that approximately half of the technical inquiries we were receiving from customers could be solved remotely," says Malec. "By providing a product that allows this remote problem-solving to occur, we are able to save considerable time and money for our customers by empowering their technicians to resolve issues directly, therefore reducing downtime."